Native Americans In Philanthropy Welcomes New Staff Members

Please join Native Americans in Philanthropy as they welcome Kelli Begay (Kickapoo, Seminole, Muscogee Creek), Joseph Ironhawk Little (Oglala Lakota and Gabrieleno Tongva), and Toni Sanchez (Seminole Tribe of Florida) to their team.

“NAP is honored to welcome such a committed new team aboard,” said NAP Executive Director, Erik Stegman. “Kelli, Joseph, and Toni bring diverse and complimentary strengths to our organization. They are also deeply grounded in their values and their communities—the heart of our work in philanthropy.”

Kelli Begay will transition from her prior interim communications role to working alongside Erik as NAP’s Executive Project Officer.  In this new role, Kelli will manage strategic initiatives and organization-based projects to further amplify NAP’s work. Equipped with a versatile skillset, Kelli is positioned to fulfill both her passion of supporting and uplifting Native communities, as well as NAP’s mission to strengthen and build relationships between philanthropy and Indian Country. 

Joseph Ironhawk Little joins Native Americans in Philanthropy as the inaugural Indigenous Philanthropy Fellow. Over the next year, he will support a wide range of projects and programs in support of NAP’s mission. As a community leader, Joseph is excited to learn more about the philanthropic sector and support NAP in driving more resources to community-centered solutions and leaders. He has held positions as a Policy Fellow for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and as a Marketplace Capacity Analyst Intern for the Nike N7 Division at Nike, Inc. He is a recent graduate from Stanford University with a B.A. in Public Policy. 

Toni Sanchez joins the Native Americans in Philanthropy team as Engagement & Communications Coordinator. After working in special event planning, corporate marketing, and entertainment journalism, she feels she’s finally found her calling in the philanthropic sector because she is passionate about advocating for an Indian Country where self-determination and prosperity are commonplace. Toni is excited to draw on her experience in other sectors to benefit Indigenous peoples in philanthropy. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Florida State University.

Native Americans in Philanthropy is proud to expand its team, which will increase its capacity to engage Native-led organizations and increase their funding, support Native professionals in philanthropy, and further influence the philanthropic sector to be in alignment with an Indigenous worldview.